What my father wore embarrassed me! I wanted him to dress like a doctor or lawyer, but he always dressed like my father, getting up before dawn every day to make breakfast for my mother and me.
We lived in South Texas, where my father worked as a repairman. He often wore a pair of jeans and a shirt, keeping his pencils, glasses and wrenches (扳手) in his breast pocket. His boots were those with steel toes that made them difficult to pull off his feet, which I sometimes helped him with when he returned from repairing cars — his job that also shamed me.
I blamed the way he dressed. I felt that my classmates laughed at me because they’d seen him mowing lawns (修剪草坪) in cut-off jeans and black boots. My classmates’ families paid men to beautify their lawns, while their fathers travelled in the bay wearing lemon-yellow sweaters and expensive shoes.
He preferred clothes that allowed him the freedom to move under cars. So even when taking part in a school trip with me, he was dressed in his repairman’s suit. On the school bus to the campsite, all students on the bus happily chatted with their parents except me, who lowered the head, avoiding spotting my classmates’ mocking glance (讥笑的眼光) or hearing their jokes, which I thought was about nothing else but what my father wore.
I regretted telling my parents the school trip, and I was very angry why my mother had no spare time while my father happened to have a vacation. But my father failed to read my mind. He was very happy, whistling a tune along the way.
Though my father didn’t sense my bad mood, the school bus seemed as sad as I was. It drove more and more slowly and finally it stopped on the roadside. The driver got out to check the bus but found nothing wrong. Students and parents on the bus began to whisper about what was happening, worried that the delay might spoil the journey.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150 左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卷的相应位置作答。
When others were complaining, my father stood up.
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The school bus restarted and everyone cheered.
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Have you ever felt so embarrassed (尴尬的) in your life that you wanted to simply disappear? Well, I have.
My worst day began on a hot Monday morning when I was in the second grade. My class would choose some players for a baseball team on that day. For some reason, I had overslept that morning. And in my hurry to get dressed, I took the first white shirt I could find. I hurriedly put it on, rushed out of the back door and headed for school. Unfortunately, my mistake didn’t show itself until we were all on the baseball field.
Earlier, I had noticed a few of my classmates looking at me and talking among themselves. A few others were laughing. But I knew they weren’t mean kids; maybe they had just found something funny. So I didn’t think their behavior was directed at me and I didn’t give it much thought at the time. But as we were all standing around and waiting to be chosen for a team, one of my friends finally told me what all the talking and laughing were about.
I could hardly believe it! In my hurry to get ready for school, I had accidentally taken one of my sister’s shirts. There I was, waiting to be chosen for a team and wearing a girly shirt known to all. The shirt was complete with beautiful little blue flowers, heart-shaped buttons down the front, and many other features that showed it was a shirt designed for girls.
I was so embarrassed that my face was burning red. When I finally calmed down a little, I realized I had to do something — this situation called for quick action. Knowing I couldn’t leave school, I rushed to the school closet (壁橱) and crazily searched it to see if I could find any clothes. Finally, I was lucky to discover a piece of clothing. It was an old heavy coat that I left there the previous winter.
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I quickly put it on to cover my shame and embarrassment.
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Seeing I didn’t want to go to school, my mom asked me the reason.
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My Father, My Hero
I consider my father to be the most important person in my life. This is not because he is famous or wealthy. We do not have a big car, and there are no old, expensive vases or paintings in our house. Rather, what I value about my father is the care and love he shows for me and my family. What blesses my father most is being able to put food on the table and a roof over our heads.
My father might work hard, but he is always there for us. Whenever I trip or hurt myself playing sports, he's there to pick me up. My brother and I grew up with his constant care and the funny nursery rhymes and stories he told us.
My father also helps our local community. My father has been successful as he never shrinks from helping others. People also like him because he often has a smile on his face. He is optimistic and finds good in all situations. He is great at problem-solving, and his favorite phrases are “Don't worry! It’s not worth it” and “It will be all right—just you wait and see”. He is always right! And I have learnt from him the need to be patient and honest, and to care for other people.
I can well remember that when my mother and father got married, they did not have much money. The situation got worse when they had children. When we were very young, my father had an extra job as a hotel porter, and he also mopped the floor of a hotel every night so that he could give us a special treat or a vacation. At the start of last year, my father began putting at least fifty cents every day into a jar on a shelf in his bedroom. We all wondered what he was saving the money for, but he refused to tell us.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Then, in December, I noticed that the jar was empty.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Later the next year, I found that his best friend passed away, leaving the family too poor to send the son to school.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I still remember how nervous I felt doing some things for the first time. You’d think that after a lot of first times the butterflies-in-stomach feeling would disappear. But here’s what happened a month ago.
“Please come to the chess club tomorrow,” Mareya said to me. “I know you’re going to love it!” “I’ve never even played chess(国际象棋),” I said. “It seems super hard.”
“I went last week, and it was extremely fun!” said Mareya. “Really?” I said, not convinced.
“Really. Also, the club needs more people to keep it going.” Mareya smiled.
“Listen. If you try it, I’ll do my silly rabbit dance in the middle of recess (课间休息).” I laughed. “In front of everyone? It’s a deal!”
When I arrived at home. I searched our game shelves. Finally, at the very bottom of the pile, I found a tattered (破旧的) box with a chessboard and plastic chess pieces. I read the instructions carefully. Knights, rooks, bishops, pawns, a king, and a queen — each piece had a special starting place and its own way of moving. My heart sank. I couldn’t possibly memorize all the rules in time. Everyone in the chess club was going to think I was inexperienced!
That night, I dreamed I was in a chess game, and the queens, kings, and knights were laughing at me. Even the knights’ horses were snickering (窃笑)! The next day, I told Mareya I was having second thoughts.
“Please don’t back out,” she said. “Remember our deal.”
“I would like to see your silly rabbit dance,” I said, smiling.
After school, I found the chess club’s meeting room and went inside. I looked around, but Mareya was nowhere in sight! To make matters worse, I didn’t know a single person in the room. Butterflies filled my stomach as I started to head toward the door.
“Hi!” said a friendly woman. “I’m Ms.Martinez.”
“I’m Arizona,” I said. “ I was supposed to meet a friend, but I don’t see her. I’d better get going.” “Well, as long as you ‘re here, why don’t you sit with Joe and Jess and watch their game?”
注意：
1. 续写短文的词数应为 150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
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I didn’t want to be rude, so I sat down.
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The next day, at recess, Mareya ran up to me.
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Ari was a lonely young man who lived on a large island called Iceland. Most of the villagers were fishermen. Ari often wondered what lay beyond the island. The days were long and cold, and he spent many hours in his small house thinking about what life would be like in a warm, sunny place.
“I shall find a true friend far away from here,” Ari thought, and he began writing a letter. He described himself as a loner who had few visitors, yet he had a warm heart. It was his hope to find true friendship with someone who understood his sadness.
Ari described the volcanos on his snowy island and the impressive glaciers (冰川). He wrote about the sky turning green, blue, yellow, and pink at night when the Northern Lights shined in the heavens like silk. For days, Ari poured his soul and innermost thoughts into the letter. Then he placed it into a bottle, and sealed (密封) it tightly.
Ari threw the bottle into the sea and wished upon the brightest star that a true friend would find the letter.
A year later, Ari received a letter. He had no idea who would be writing him, but with joy, he opened the envelope.
Dear Ari,I found your simple but lovely letter. Imagine my surprise when your little bottle from so far away washed up on my shore. I; too, live on an island. It is called Sardinia. My island is warm and filled with mountains, beaches and waters. Most of the people I know are my family, and I, too, long for a true friend. Now that you have found a friend far away, I do hope that you will write and tell me more about your life and people.
Your new friend,
Renata
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
For three years, Ari and Renata exchanged letters.
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When Mia was four years old, the doctors diagnosed(诊断) her with alopecia areata, which caused all her hair to fall out. Going bald(秃头的) at such a young age wasn’t easy for her. Her mother Meredith Bailey thought gifting a bald doll (玩偶) to her daughter would help her feel confident. Bailey knew her daughter wanted a doll, so she went to an American Girl store on Mia’s birthday in 2015. Inside the store, Bailey looked for a bald doll that Mia could relate to,but she couldn’t find any.
Curious, she asked the staff about bald dolls and learned buyers could place an order for them.The store did not display(展示) the bald dolls back then.
Bailey thought her daughter would love playing with a bald American Girl doll, so she placed an order and gifted it to Mia on her birthday.
While gifting the doll to her daughter,Bailey had no idea that Mia would soon ask her questions that would leave her speechless. She wasn’t expecting Mia to come up with such interesting questions.
“I knew she wanted the doll, but I didn’t realize the happiness it would bring. She had a doll that was just like her -it was a piece of her," Bailey said.
The doll was Mia’s best gift,but looking at it made her wonder if other children also bought bald dolls so she asked her mother about it.
Bailey told Mia that other kids also liked such dolls by explaining that the doll might be similar to one of their friends or they buy it thinking it is pretty.Little did she know that Mia would come up with another thought-provoking(发人深省的) question.
Mia asked her mother why the bald dolls weren’t sold at the store if they were so popular. The question left Bailey speechless and made her wonder why buyers had to place an order to buy a bald doll.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
On Mia’s 8th birthday, Bailey took her to the American Girl store and a bald doll on display caught the pairs’ attention.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Since Bailey thought sharing her fee lings with the manager wasn’t enough, she penned a heartfelt note and posted it on American Girl’s Facebook page.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Everything He Needs
Ethan poured the milk slowly so that his corn flakes (薄片,小碎片) rose above the rim (边缘) of the bowl, just like Nick’s. Mom didn’t fuss (唠叨) about it. Instead, she reached over and patted Nick’s hand. “It’s our last breakfast together before you start college,” she said.
“What will you eat for breakfast at college, Nick?” Ethan asked his big brother.
“I don’t know.” Nick hugged the corn flakes box. “I’d better take this.”
Mom smiled. “Nick is teasing. He’ ll have everything he needs at college.”
“Not everything.” Nick pointed at Ethan. “I won’t have my little brother!”
Mom looked at her watch. “Oops. We need to get going, boys.”
In the car, Ethan shared the backseat with Nick’s suitcases. “I wish I could go to the airport with you,” he said. But it was class photo day.
When they arrived at Ethan’s school, Nick reached over the seat and hugged Ethan goodbye. “Smile big for the camera,” Nick said.
“Good luck at college!” said Ethan. He got out of the car and waved at Nick until the car turned the corner.
Ethan missed seeing his brother at breakfast every day. Sometimes Nick sent photos. One was of him and his friends. They were all splattered (溅泼) with mud from playing soccer.
Mom said, “I hope he has figured out how to do laundry with detergent (洗涤剂).”
Nick sent another photo of himself in the library with a tall pile of books.
Mom said, “I hope Nick is finding time to get enough sleep.”
Ethan stared at the photo. Nick was smiling, but he looked tired. Maybe it was hard to get enough sleep at college.
A couple of months later, Mom said, “I bought plane tickets so we can visit Nick for his birthday.”
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Ethan pulled out his backpack, thinking that he should take something his brother may need.
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Hearing Mom’s words, he cleared his backpack of the things he had just collected.
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Mom poured herself a glass of orange juice. “I’m worried about your grandma,” she said. I asked, “Why?” “Well, before she moved to Florida, she was active. But now she sleeps most of the day or watches television. I can’t get her out of the house, and she won’t try to make friends,” Mom replied. My grandma wanted to go back to New York. But she couldn’t live alone anymore. That was why my mom let her come to live with us in Florida.
“I’ll find a way to make Grandma love Florida,” I thought for a minute and said. Mom smiled and said, “I wish you could.” After school, I saw Grandma watching television and figured she hadn’t moved all day. In my room, I took out my collection. I had found many beautiful and special seashells. My favourite one was called Baby’s Ear. It’s a beautiful white seashell. Looking at my seashells gave me an idea. I went into the living room and sat on the sofa.
“Did you ever go to the beach when you were little, Grandma?” I asked. “Once my mother took me there, but I didn’t enjoy it because I was afraid of the water and couldn’t swim. Even now, I’m a little afraid of the water,” she replied. I wished Grandma could feel the way I did about the beach. I loved to see seabirds and look for seashells. “Well, could you take me to the beach, Grandma? I need some new seashells for my collection. I’m not allowed to go by myself. Please!” I begged. Grandma finally agreed and took my hand as we left the house.
We walked to the beach. The sky was blue. I handed Grandma a plastic bag, and said, “This is for the seashells you find.” “Oh, you should take it,” she said. I shook my head. “No, Grandma. I need all the help I can get.” “All right,” she said.
注意：(1)续写词数应为150左右；(2)请按如下格式作答。
We walked side by side on the beach.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Wow! Look what I found!” Grandma shouted, standing in the sand and holding a pink seashell.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I had all the usual child fears. I couldn’t go to sleep unless the light in my bedroom was on. I dreaded that someday when my mother was distracted, Crazy Betty (our local small-town oddball) would grab me in the grocery store. On the hottest summer nights, my feet had to be wrapped tightly in my bed sheets; if one of them hung bare over the side of the bed, who knew what might grab it in its cold, slimy claw.
But all other frights paled in comparison with the Great Fear, the Titanic of my childhood terrors. That fear — and I admit, I feel a tightening in stomach typing the words even today — was that something would happen to Monk-Monk, my beloved toy monkey. That was the deepest fear of my childhood and I learned from it the lesson of cherishing what’s important in my life.
Looking at Monk-Monk today, you wouldn’t see what I see. You’d see a torn, discolored sock monkey, very much past his prime, stuffing leaking from his stumpy tail, holes on his sock-body inexpertly stitched up with thread that doesn’t match. I see my dearest childhood friend, my companion of a thousand nights. When I was only two and very ill, an aunt made him for me and delivered him to the hospital. I bonded with him fiercely and rarely let him out of my sight. When no one else was around, Monk-Monk played endless games with me, soaked up my tears, and listened to my secrets.
And then Uncle Ken came to visit. He lived in Ohio and occasionally he would come and stay with us for a couple of days. I didn’t know Uncle Ken well, and I didn’t like him very much. I had the feeling that he didn’t really like me, either. He clearly thought it was pretty silly that a big first-grader was dragging a sock monkey around, and he teased me by saying he thought he’d take Monk-Monk home to Ohio with him. His words almost scared me to death. I clutched Monk-Monk more tightly.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I was at school a few days later when Uncle Ken left.
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Finally Monk-Monk was found jammed behind the sofa.
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I had a very peaceful childhood and I mostly ignored the fact that my elder sister was different. She got “Asperger Syndrome” (社交困难症). It turned my parents’ world upside down - but they never let it affect me. My parents worked very hard at ensuring that everything seemed pleasant and quiet for me.
It was only at the age of ten that I started to notice the differences and became aware of my social life and self-image that I had carefully built up. My sister on the other hand, was socially awkward. She could not look at people in the eye. She would whisper to herself and repeat the words she had just said. However, she was academically capable, so we attended the same primary school. Despite this, I never admitted in public that she was my sister.
However, there was one incident that changed how I viewed my sister and changed me.
Being in primary six, about to graduate, my sister and her classmates had to put on a performance, whether in a group, or on their own. Because she failed to join others, she was the only one left without a group. The school had made it a must for everyone to perform, so my sister had to do it by herself. “I’ll sing,” my sister told my parents, somewhat confidently.
Hearing that, I was completely shocked. How could my sister who was socially awkward, sing in front of the school? I knew so very well that if I allowed this to happen, she would embarrass me. “No!” I protested. My parents shot me a look and I knew my sister was going to perform anyway, and I was going to be part of the audience watching her. Silently, I wished that something would happen and I would not have to watch my sister lose face.
注意：1. 续写次数应为130左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。
On the day of performace, I sat in the hall.
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I felt relaxed and appreciated it with excitement.
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